


I Did It All For the Cuddles

by Lady_Phenyx



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, Not crying, Relief, group hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 03:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Phenyx/pseuds/Lady_Phenyx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone thought Sandman was dead. Now that he's back, they're not gonna just pretend it was normal, even if he seems to think it was.</p><p>Especially not Jack. Not a chance</p><p><b>Original Prompt:</b> Sandy came back. From the DEAD. When they all thought he was gone forever. And there was no real reaction from anybody other than a small "oh hey, welcome back" as if they'd expected it all along. Which, if they did, kind of made the whole "mourning" scene completely pointless and out of place. Granted, in their defense, there was still the whole issue with Pitch to take care of first, but still! I expected a bit more response to Sandman's return than what the movie gave us.</p><p>So give me everyone loving on Sandman after his return. Hugging, crying, threats of "don't you EVER do that to us again!", the works. And cuddling. Yes, there must be much cuddling.</p><p>Bonus if Jack is the first to realize it and does a tackle-glomp on Sandy<br/>And if one of the Guardians Bunny tries to pretend they're not crying<br/>Super bonus for group hug<br/>And if Sandy is completely lost but hey, free hugs!</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Did It All For the Cuddles

One second, Pitch was there, his scythe inches from burying its blade deep in Jack, and the next he was simply gone. Mouths gaping, shocked speechless and immobile, the four of them stood staring where Pitch had been. 

Jack was the first to move, the wind throwing him over the wall Pitch had been dragged over, the others following belatedly in his wake as they followed the sand trails to where a vortex of golden sand rose toward the sky, a familiar golden shape taking form inside it.

“…it…cannot be…” North whispered as Sandy, _their_ Sandy, scolded a thoroughly cowed Pitch before a solid, well-earned uppercut sent the Boogieman flying into the sky.

Nodding once in smug satisfaction, Sandy drifted over to the still stunned and silent Guardians. Smug as the proverbial cat trailing canary feathers, he waved casually, as nonchalant as only the Sandman could be.

Deciding to play it as casually as Sandy was, the older Guardians stepped – or in Tooth’s case, floated – towards their restored companion, only for a blur of blue and white to shoot past them all.

Jack impacted with Sandy with a soft _thump_ , the impact sending Sandy backwards and making them lose a good foot of altitude as Jack wrapped himself around the smaller Guardian, babbling a stream of “Thoughtyouwere _dead_ youwereDEADdon’tyouEVEREVERdothatagainmissedyousomuch _please_ beokay” as he buried his face in a confused but obliging Sandy, who wrapped his arms around the younger spirit, never one to turn down a hug even if he wasn’t sure why he was getting quite such an enthusiastic one.

Jack’s sudden – and completely unexpected, from the normally snarky and standoffish teenager – show of affection made the other Guardians pause again. Suddenly North boomed out a laugh, wrapping his huge arms around Jack and Sandy, lifting both feather-light spirits higher effortlessly into a huge bear hug, burying his face in Sandy’s hair.

“You scare us, my friend,” he exclaimed, squeezing briefly but refusing to let go. “Never again, _da_?”

Openly crying now, Tooth flew up to wrap her arms around the still confused but more enthusiastic Sandman, Jack, and North. 

“You are okay, right, Sandy?” she asked quietly. Sandy nodded, his sands forming a thumbs up over his head. No chance of dissipating back into sand here, really, Tooth, he formed in his pictures. Satisfied for the moment, she rested her head on his hair, squeezing a little tighter.

Still muttering almost inaudibly, Jack rubbed his cheek against Sandy’s, opening his eyes to grin at the others.

“…are you crying, Cottontail?” he asked suddenly.

“…course not, ya drongo, got sand in me eye,” Bunny muttered, hopping forward to wrap his arms around the other three, giving Sandy’s head a quick rub with his chin. “…good to have ya back, mate.”

They stood there for a minute or more, reluctant to let go. Sandy, who had given up on confusion in favor of free hugs, snuggled down into his family’s arms. Suddenly five sets of eyes snapped open as Pitch stormed past, calling for his remaining Nightmares and growling about irritating Guardians who couldn’t take things seriously.

“…perhaps it is a bit early for group hug?” North suggested. The others nodded silently, staring after the flailing Boogieman. Group hug _after_ they finished saving the children. 

 

…and if, on the way back to the Pole after everything was over, three of the five Guardians used the Sandman as a combination pillow and cuddle toy, no one ever mentioned it again.


End file.
